Country
Countries A-Z
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan Republic
Azerbaycan Respublikasy
Note: On October 15, 2008, President Aliyev was reelected for a second five-year term, being credited with 88.7 percent of the vote against six other minor candidates, none of whom received more than 3 percent of the vote. The major opposition parties boycotted the election, which international observers characterized as “not fully democratic.” In late October Aliyev reappointed Prime Minister Rasizade to head a largely unchanged cabinet.
Political Status: Azerbaijan Republic established under Turkish auspices in May 1918; joined the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics as part of the Transcaucasian Soviet Federated Republic on December 30, 1922; became separate Soviet Socialist Republic on December 5, 1936; independence declared August 30, 1991, and confirmed October 18, 1991; new constitution providing for a strong presidential system ...